Adjustable runway, skidboard and scaffold platform



Aug. 20, 1957 A. K. HINCHMAN 2,803,328

ADJUSTABLE RUNWAY, SKIDBOARD AND SCAFFOLD PLATFORM v Filed May 27, 1955 United States Patent ADJUSTABLE RUNWAY, SKIDBOARD AND SCAFFOLD PLATFORM Alva K. Hinchman, Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Application May 27, 1955, Serial No. 511,451

Claims. (Cl. 193-41) My invention relates to a new and useful adjustable runway, skidboard and scaflold platform and has for one of its objects to provide an exceedingly simple, eflicient and strong item that can readily and quickly be adjusted to various lengths for use in spanning spaces of different distances to skid heavy articles from vehicles, bridge gaps between two locations such as a ship and a dock, and to provide a platform for a workingmans scaffold and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable device of the character mentioned which may be collapsed to a small size for storage and shipping purposes and then extended to different lengths within a certain limitation for employment as a support in various capacities.

Another object of this invention is to construct an adjustable runway, skidboard and platform comprised of two nested channels with their flanges extending in the same direction and one of which is slightly deeper than the other whereby the edges of all flanges are in substantially the same plane.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hook structure on the inner end of the exterior member for engagement with a bar, the interior member coacting to temporarily fasten the complete item in place on the bar.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for adjustably holding the channel members together and securing them in the adjusted positions, the securing means including a selectively applicable fastening device projectable through any one of a row of holes in one flange of the exterior member.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a securing means including a bolt and nut, said bolt having oppositely arranged square notches to receive the edges bordering a slot in the web of the interior channel member whereby the bolt is held against rotation and prevented from being displaced until an enlargement of said slot is brought into registration with said bolt.

With the above and other objects in view this invention consists of the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then designated by the claims.

in order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same 1 will describe its construction in detail referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, in which:

Fig. l is a view of one side of the device in collapsed or contracted condition.

Fig. 2 is a view of the other side of the same device shown in a partially extended position.

Fig. 3 is a bottom or underneath plan view of the device in contracted position.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 5 is an inner end view thereof.

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view on the line 66 of Fig. 3.

In carrying out my invention as herein embodied 10 2,803,328 Patented Aug. 20, 1957 represents the exterior channel member and 11 is the interior channel member which is nested and freely slidably mounted in said exterior member 10 and both facing in the same direction. Both members are formed from a suitable light weight and very strong metal.

The exterior channel member 19 includes a web 12 and a pair of parallel longitudinal flanges 13 along opposite sides of said web. The flanges terminate short of the inner end of the web of said exterior member and at said inner end is formed an inturned hook structure 14 to engage over a rod on a vehicle and said hook structure has a notch 15 midway the sides of the member to accommodate any protuberance such as a bracket constituting a portion of the rod support. The outer surface of the web at the outer end of the exterior member is beveled as shown at 16.

One flange 13 of the exterior member 10 has a longitudinal slot 17, Fig. 1, and the other flange of the same member has a longitudinal row of spaced holes 18, Fig. 2, for purposes to be presently described.

The interior channel member 11 also includes a web 19 and a pair of parallel longitudinal flanges 20 along opposite sides of said web. Said flanges 26 of said interior member extend the full length of the web portion 19 and the outer ends thereof are beveled upwardly and outwardly from the underneath edges as indicated at 21 to position the outer end of the web 19 close to a ground surface when the device is used in an inclined position when employed as a skidboard, for example. The overall width of the interior member 11 is approximately that of the inside width of the exterior member 10 whereby the former is slidable in the latter when nested therein. The flanges 29 of the interior member are of less height than those of the exterior member so that when nested the outer edges of all of the flanges will be in substantially the same plane.

One flange 20 of the interior member 11 has a single hole adjacent the inner end and a screw 22 is projected through the flange from the inside and through the slot 17 in the coacting flange 13 of the exterior member 10 with a nut 23 of appropriate type mounted on the outer projecting end. The other flange 20 of said interior member 11 also has a single hole adjacent its inner end whereby a screw 24 may be projected through said other flange and selectively passed through one of the row of holes 18 after which an appropriate nut 25 may be mounted thereon. These screws and their nuts constitute fastening means and in the case of the screw 24 and its nut 25 some type of quick acting fastener or a conventional pin might be substituted as an equivalent thereof. The heads of the screws may be fashioned to provide flats that coact with the inner surface of the web of the interior member 11 to hold said screws from rotating when and if a nut is screwed thereon.

An additional fastener, which may be considered the main securing means, is in the form of a screw 26 projected through a single hole in the web 12 of the exterior member 10 adjacent the outer end thereof and through a longitudinal slot 27 in the web 19 of the interior member 11 and an appropriate nut 28 is threaded onto the projecting end of the screw 26 within said interior member 11. The screw 26 has square notches 29 in two opposite sides of its shank to provide a reduced neck for registration with the edges of the web bordering the slot 27 which is enlarged at 39 to permit passage of the screw into and out of the slot opening. While the notched screw shank is within the main straight and narrow portion of the slot 27 the two members cannot be separated and the screw cannot become dislodged. When the fastenings 22 and 24 and the nut 28 have been removed the interior member 11 can he slid towards the inner end of the exterior member and the inner end of said interior member moved away from the exterior member until said interior member will pass the hook structure at which time the enlarged portion 30 of the slot will coincide with the screw 26 and the members then can be separated.

,When the device is used as a skidboard itcan be contracted for easy storage and transportation and when actually employed it can be used in the contracted condition or expanded to different desirable lengths to accommodate various types of work and distances over which heavy articles may have to be moved. This eliminates the necessity of carrying a number of boards of different lengths or having to return to the place of storage after discovering that the boards are not the proper ones for the job,

The device may also be utilized as a runway on a ship, an airplane or the like as well as a bridge across a dam, a light well or areaway, and can be employed as a platform on a scaffold of any appropriate type.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction herein shown and described as these may be varied within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is:

l. in a device of the kind described, an exterior channel member including a web and a pair of parallel flanges, one end of said web being turned inwards and formed with a notch midway between its side edges to define a hook structure, the opposite end of said web being beveled, an interior channel member also including a web and a pair of parallel flanges, said interior member being narrower and shallower than the exterior member where by the former is slidably moved in the latter, the web of the interior member having a longitudinal slot and the ends of its flanges opposite the location of the hook structure being beveled inwardly and rearwardly from the web, and securing means connected with the web of the exterior member and coacting with the slot in the web of the interior member for holding the members in various selected adjustments longitudinally of each other.

2. In a device of the kind described, an exterior channel member including a web and a pair of parallel flanges, a hook structure formed on one end of said web and spaced from the adjacent ends of the flanges, the opposite end of said web being beveled, and interior channel member also including a web and a pair of parallel flanges, said interior member being narrower and shallower than the exterior member whereby the former is slidably nested in the latter, the web of the interior member having a longitudinal slot and the ends of its flanges opposite the ends of the location of the hook structure being beveled inwardly and rearwardly from the web, and a screw mounted on the web of the exterior member having a threaded shank projecting through said last mentioned web and the slot in the web of the interior member, said screw shank having square notches in opposite sides thereof for registration with the edges of the web bordering the slot to hold the members together and retain the screw in place, and a nut on the projecting end of said screw for clamping the parts in position, said slot having an enlarged portion at one end whereby the parts may be disconnected when the nut is removed and the enlarged portion of the slot coincides with the screw.

3. In a device of the kind described, an exterior channel member including a web and a pair of parallel flanges,

a hook structure formed on one end of said web and spaced from the adjacent ends of the flanges, the opposite end of said web being beveled, an interior channel member also including a web and a pair of parallel flanges,

said interior member being narrower and shallower than the exterior memberwhereby the former is slidably nested in the latter with the edges of all flanges in the same plane, the web of the interiormember having a longitudinal slot and the ends of its flanges opposite the location of the hook structure being beveled inwardly and rearward ly from the web, securing means connected with the web of the exterior member and coacting with the slot in the web of the interior member for holding the members in various selected adjustments longitudinally of each other, one flange of the exterior member having a longitudinal slot therein, and fastening means on the coacting flange of the interior member and including a portion projecting within the last mentioned slot for additionally temporarily fastening the members together.

4. In a device of the kind described, an exterior channel member including a web and a pair of parallel flanges, a hook structure formed on one end of theweb and spaced from the adjacent ends of the flanges, the opposite end of said web being beveled, an interior channel member also including a Web and a pair of parallel flanges, said interior member being narrower and shallower than the exterior member whereby the former is slidably nested in the latterwith the edges of all flanges in the same plane, the web of the interior member having a longitudinal slot and the ends of its flanges opposite the location of the hook structure being beveled inwardly and rearwardly from the web, securing means connected with the web of the exterior member and coacting with the slot in the web of the interior member for holding the members in various selected adjustments longitudinally of each other, one flange of the exterior member having a longitudinal row of spaced holes, and fastening means projected through the coacting flange of the interior memher and a preselected one of the row of holes for additionally holding the members in temporarily adjusted positions.

5. In a device of the kind described, an exterior channel member including a web and a pair of parallel flanges, a hook structure formed on one end of said web and spaced from the adjacent ends of the flanges, the opposite end of said web being beveled, an interior channel member also including a web and a pair of parallel flanges, said interior member being narrower and shallower than the exterior member whereby the former is slidably nested in the latter with the edges of all flanges in the same plane, the web of the interior member having a longitudinal slot and the ends of its flanges opposite the location of the hook structure being beveled inwardly and rearwardly from the web, securing means connected with the web of the exterior member and coacting with the slot in the web of the interior member for holding the members in various selected adjustments longitudinally of each other, one flange of the exterior member having a longitudinal slot and the other flange of said interior member having a longitudinal row of spaced holes,and separate means on the respective coacting flanges of the interior member and projecting through the last mentioned slot and selectively into any one of the holes for assisting in holding the members in different adjusted positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 180,769 Iske Aug. 8, 1876 1,212,524 Lucas Jan. 16, 1917 1,293,083 Golding Feb. 4, 1919 1,898,679 Millee Feb. 21, 1933 

